A mystery that knows it’s a mystery

There are few things more fun than a mystery that knows exactly what kind of mystery it is.

How to Write a Murder puts a group of mystery writers in an isolated monastery, gives everyone secrets and motives, and then starts killing people.

Naturally, I had a great time.

But what really made this one work for me was how Jessica Brody plays with the conventions of the genre. The characters know they’re behaving like characters in a murder mystery. The book itself keeps winking at the reader. And somehow, beneath all that cleverness, there is a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of how the roles we believe we’re playing can shape who we become.

I had a blast with this one. And yes, I have thoughts about that cover, too.

Read my full review of How to Write a Murder.